USA > Iowa > Audubon County > History of Audubon county, Iowa; its people, industries, and institutions > Part 12
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William Canfield Norton was born in New York state, January 26, 18II. He married on October 5, 1831, Ruth Harriet, daughter of Roswell and Mercy (Goodwin) Thayer, and who was born on September 11, 1813. From Springwater, New York, he moved to Allen county, Indiana, before 1850, but returned to Springwater. He moved to Oakfield, Iowa, in 1856, and built a two-story dwelling on block 10, Oakfield, where they lived the remainder of their lives, and sometimes kept hotel. He was a carpenter by trade. He was a Republican and served as postmaster and justice of the peace. He and his wife were Methodists. He was seventh in lineal descent from Thomas Norton, who came from Oakley, Surrey, England, to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1639; thence to New Haven, Connecticut, the same year. He was the ancestor of the Nortons of Guilford, Connecticut. Said Thomas Norton was lineally descended from Le Seignior de Nourile (Norvile), who came to England with William the Conqueror, 1066, and was his con- stable. Also, seventh in lineal descent from Thomas Canfield, who came from England to Connecticut, and was in Milford, Connecticut, in 1644. His wife was seventh in lineal descent from Thomas Thayer, who came from Thornbury, England, and settled in Braintree, Massachusetts, in 1640. Also, eighth in lineal descent from Ozias Goodwin, who came to Boston, Massachusetts, in the "Lion," June 16, 1632, and settled in Hartford, Con- necticut, in 1639. He died at Avoca, Iowa, November 29, 1884, and she died at West Exira, Iowa, June 9, 1882. Their children were as follow : Mary Elizabeth, born January 5, 1834, at Springwater, married James M. Jones; John Chapin, born June 13, 1836, at Springwater, married Susan
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Ostrander; Charles Henry, born June 13, 1839, at Springwater, married Charlotte Howlett; Sarah Fidelia, born March 16, 1842, at Portageville, married Elam Wallace Pearl; Malinda Ann, born May 16, 1845, at Spring- water, married Isaac Peter Hallock; Jennie Maria, born June 21, 1850, at Allen county, Indiana, married H. F. Andrews; James Miner, born Decem- ber 10, 1854, at Springwater, married Nettie Griffith.
Boynton G. Dodge, a farmer and stockman, came from Henniker, New Hampshire, to Audubon county, in 1856. He bought the claim of Hiram Perkins, in section 34, Hamlin township, where he lived the remainder of his life. He was a Republican and served as a member of the board of supervisors and as superintendent of schools. In religion, he was a Con- gregationalist. He and his wife, Saphronia, died in Audubon county. Their children were, Nettie M., married Charley A. Bartlett; Arthur C., never married; Anna, died young; Capitola M., died unmarried ; Roxie M., married Sanford Davis; Ida E., married William H. Dyer; Evalena, mar- ried Isaac L. Statzell and W. F. Williams; Carrie, died unmarried ; Ellen T., married John H. Rendleman; Merrill B., married Gertrude Gates.
John W. Dodge came with his brother, Boynton, from Henniker, New Hampshire, to Audubon county in 1856, and settled in section 34. Hamlin township. He was a carpenter, farmer and stockman. He was a Republi- can and a member of the board of supervisors. He moved to California and died there. His wife was Eliza, the daughter of Samuel and Mary (Farrell) Smith. Their children were Carleton E. and Charles.
Samuel Smith was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, and married Gertrude Roseboom. He went from Pennsylvania to New Philadelphia, Ohio; thence to Petersburg, Ohio; to Frankfort, Ohio; to Hartford, Iowa; thence to Audubon county, in 1856, and settled in section 32, Greeley township; he moved to the town of Exira, Iowa, in 1874. He was a well-known gunsmith and farmer. He was a Republican and a Methodist. He and his wife died at Exira in 1891. Their children were, Hendrich R., who never married; William F. E., married Amanda Roberts; Andrew R., married, first, Emma Williams and, second, Mary E. Ort; Mary Belle, mar- ried John Hicks.
Levi B. Montgomery, farmer, was born in Lima, Ohio, in 1810, and married Fanny Boyles at Erie, Pennsylvania. He moved from Ohio to Noble county, Indiana; thence to Hancock county, Illinois; came to Audu- bon county, in 1856, and settled in section 3. Exira township. He was a Republican and served as county superintendent. He was a Methodist class leader. He and his wife died at Exira, he is 1866 and she in 1873. Their
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children were as follow : Eli, who married Catherine Barber; William Noble, who went to California; Phebe J., married George Sharp; Hannah A., married Perriander Lewis; George S., married Harriet Stanford; John W., never married; Louisa C., married Peoria I. Whitted; Joel B., never married; Minerva E., married Robert Edwards; Margaret M., married J. H. Harrington; Levi J., married Emma Wiggins; Marion A., married Louisa Erickson; Alice H., married William Rudge.
Daniel Crane, a native of Pennsylvania, and a blacksmith and farmer, married Ann Eckman. He lived in Petersburg, Ohio, but moved to Marion county, Iowa, in 1854, and to Audubon county, in 1855. He was a Demo- crat. He and his wife passed away at Exira, he in 1876 and she in 1901, aged ninety-seven years. To them were born four children: Mary Ann, who married Frank Salter; John, married Mary I. Harris; Catherine, mar- ried John A. Hallock; Van Buren, married Mary E. Bush.
Howard J. Green, son of Allen and Clarissa Green, was born in Ren- sselaer county, New York, May 4, 1828. On November 28, 1850, he mar- ried Cordelia M., daughter of Nelson and Theodosia (Holcom) Reed, and who was born in Granby, Connecticut. He became a machinist, farmer and millman. He lived at Williamstown, Massachusetts, in 1844-7; moved thence to Chicopee, Massachusetts, where he lived until 1850; thence to Jackson county, Iowa, and came to Audubon county, in 1856. A Republi- can in politics, he served as swamp land commissioner, township trustee and subdirector. He was a member of the Loyal Legion in war time; secured and secreted arms and ammunition in his house for the Union men; assisted runaway negroes on their journey to liberty and was a big-hearted, generous man and highly esteemed. The community suffered a great loss in his death. He and his wife died in Audubon county, he on June 2, 1873, and she on January 28, 1898. Their children were born as follow: Emma Cordelia, married John R. Thacher ; Henry Howard, married Mary Keith ; Clara Ellen, who married John I. Jones; Dewey Wells, died unmarried; Walker Wallace, married Anna May Neff; Edwin Ellsworth, died unmar- ried; Mary Grace, married Jasper W. McClain.
Appollonias Bohon Houston, son of Oswald and Anna Louisa (Shaw) Houston, was born in South Carolina on February 16, 1823. In 1844 he married Nancy, daughter of James C. Bridges. He was a carpenter and merchant at Williamsport, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. He came from Tennessee to Audubon county with a team in 1856, settling in Exira in 1857, where he lived the remainder of his life. A Democrat, he rendered effi- cient service as deputy clerk of the district court, county judge, county
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treasurer, justice of the peace and mayor of Exira. He was a merchant in Exira, and in partnership with Nathaniel Hamlin, engaged in the real estate business. He was proprietor of the Houston house, now the Park hotel. He was a member of the Masonic order. He died in 1902. Their children were as follow: Henry Bohon, who married Ida F. Herrick; Eudora Indiana married William F. Stotts; Louise Blake married Matthew Ragan; Oswald James married Mary Dissmore; William Walter married Lora Fitch; Flora Douglas married David B. Lyons; Mary married Thomas Bryant; Charles Washington married Anna Belle Gault; Robert Lee, un- married; Eliza Amanda married George H. Henshaw.
Washington Bartlett, who was born in Virginia on September 19, 1820, married, first, Margaret Brier and, second, Martha E. Cuppy. He was a farmer. In 1831 he went with his father to Warren county, Indiana, and came to Audubon county in 1856, becoming a successful farmer. He was a Republican, a member of the board of supervisors and justice of the peace. His mother, Sabrina Hill, was a niece of Thomas Jefferson. He died at Brayton, Iowa. He was the father of three children, namely: Elbridge G .. married; Lillie, who married Joseph M. Reynolds; Horace M., who married Jeanette Jenkins.
Albert I. Brainard, a carpenter, was a native of New York, and mar- ried Emily M. Lilly. He came to Audubon county from Geneseo, Illinois, in 1859 or 1860. He was a Democrat, and served as clerk of the district court and first county auditor. He lived in Exira, but later moved to Audu- bon, where he died. He was the father of the following children: Albert Kirk, who married Emma Prather ; Frank E. died unmarried; Emma mar- ried Rev. Charles H. McIntosh; Carrie L. married Hans A. Christiansen ; Fannie E. married George Ditzenberger; Ethelbert died unmarried; Walter A. never married.
Leonard Early came from Henry county to Audubon county in 1859, and here became a farmer. He settled in section 15, Exira township, and afterwards moved to the town of Exira. He was a Democrat. He was twice married. He went to California and died there, Mrs. Early dying at Exira. His children by his first wife were: Thirza, who married Avery Belcher; Mary, who married John E. McConnell; Caroline, who married W. A. Ellis; Worth, who married Harriet Bruner; Ann, who married Mr. James. By his second wife there were born four children, namely: Sophia, who married Mr. Lincoln; Alvin; Olive, who married Mr. Trace- well; Lillie, who married William Chrisman.
CHAPTER VI.
GOVERNMENT SURVEYS AND LAND ENTRIES.
The following is a list of the United States surveys of government lands in Audubon county, also by whom and when made :
The correction line, between townships 78 and 79, by I. Marsh, 1848.
The east, south and west lines of township 78, range 34 (Audubon) by Andrew Leech, June, 1849.
The south and west lines of township 78, range 35, and the south and west lines of township 78, range 36, by John P. Conkey, August, 1851.
The east lines of township 79, range 34; township 80, range 34, and township 81, range 34, by I. Ellis, 1849.
The remainder of the township and range lines in the county, by A. Anderson, 1851.
The following are the subdivisions of townships into sections, showing by whom and when made ::
Township 78, range 34 (Audubon), by Elisha S. Norris, November 14 to 20, 1851.
Township 78, range 35 (Exira), by William H. Henderson, October 13 to 27, 1851.
Township 78, range 36 (Oakfield), by Daniel W. Henderson, October 28 to November 6, 1852.
Township 79, range 34 (Greeley), by Ambrose Carpenter, October 16 to 23, 1852.
Township 79, range 35 (Hamlin), by Adam Perry, November 8 to 20, 1852.
Township 79, range 36 (Sharon), by Adam Perry, May 16 to 23, 1852.
Township 80, range 34 (Melville), by Ambrose Carpenter, October 25 to November 1, 1852.
Township 80, range 35 (Leroy), by Adam Perry, December 6 to 12, 1852.
Township 80, range 36 (Douglas), by Joseph H. D. Street and Rich- ard H. Worden, June 13 to 18, 1853.
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Township 81, range 34 (Viola), by Ambrose Carpenter, November 3 to IO, 1852.
Township 81, range 35 (Cameron), by Joseph H. D. Street and Rich- ard H. Wordenu, November 2 to 13, 1852.
Township 81, range 36 (Lincoln), by Joseph H. D. Street and Richard H. Worden, June 6 to 12, 1853.
Dr. Samuel M. Ballard was financially interested in the Perry and Henderson surveys. His sons assisted in making them.
The surveyors entered into their field notes mentions of some of the early settlers, viz .: Monday, October 13, 1851, in running the line between sections 35 and 36, in township 78, range 35, entered Nathaniel Hamlin's field, forty acres. On the same day, widow Hoggard's house, five chains west of line between sections 25 and 26; cabin on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 26. October 18, Powell's cabin, on section 3. October 21, Philip A. Decker's breaking, three and one-half acres on sec- tion 17. October 24, John Jenkin's cabin. on section 20. October 28, 1852, Samuel M. Ballard has twenty-five acres broken on the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 36, township 78, range 36, and Benjamin Hiatt resides on the northeast quarter of section 36.
The plat of the survey of township 78, range 35, shows that the section line between sections 35 and 36 passed through Nathaniel Hamlin's field, about half the breaking on each side of the line, being in the northeast quarter of section 35 and the same amount in the northwest quarter of section 36. Also, that the line between sections 16 and 17 passed through Decker's field, his breaking extending from northwest to southeast, about half in the northeast quarter of section 17, and a like amount in the north- west quarter of section 16.
ORIGINAL ENTRIES OF GOVERNMENT LANDS.
During the year 1853. the following named residents of Audubon county made entries of land at the United States land office, viz. : Reuben Carpenter, Samuel M. Ballard, Nathaniel Hamlin, Mark Heath, Milton Heath and Alvin Herrick.
During the year 1855 entries of land were made as follow, viz. : Samuel M. Ballard, John W. Beers. George H. Calder. Reuben Carpenter, John Countryman, James B. Donnel, Richard Gault, Nathaniel Hamlin, Mark Heath, Alvin Herrick, Edson Herrick, Benjamin F. Jenkins, John
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S. Jenkins, Isaac V. D. Lewis, Bryant Milliman, Daniel B. Reese, John Seiford, William Shirley, Robert Stansberry, Peoria I. Whitted.
During the year 1855 entries of land were made as follows, viz. : Mary Anderson, Norman W. Archer, Samuel M. Ballard, William F. Bal- lard, John W. Beers, William Carpenter, Michael Scharff, Daniel Crane, Charles B. Cross, Howard J. Green, Nathaniel Hamlin, Daniel M. Harris, Urbane Herrick, William Holdcroft, John S. Jenkins, Walter J. Jardine, Alexander Kincaid, Charles E. Marsh, Richard C. Meek, Hiram Perkins, George T. Poage, Samuel Smith, William Walker.
SOME EARLY CONVEYANCES OF LAND.
William Shirley to Bryant Milliman, July 1, 1854; William Powell to Bryant Milliman, August 16, 1854; Wm. W. Willingham to Thomas S. Lewis, November 6, 1854; William W. Willingham to John S. Jenkins, November 6, 1854; Samuel B. Hopkins to John S. Jenkins, August 16, 1855; Isaac P. Hallock to Erasmus D. Bradley. May 22, 1855; John Coun- tryman to Nathaniel Hamlin, August 18, 1855; Wm. W. Willingham to Howard J. Green, April 1, 1856.
CHAPTER VII.
POLITICAL PARTIES AND ELECTIONS
A majority of the first settlers were of Southern extraction. And so, at the first presidental election, in 1856, James Buchanan received fifty-six votes, while John C. Fremont received but twenty-nine votes. In 1860 Stephen A. Douglas received eighty-four votes, and Abraham Lincoln, but thirteen. In 1864 George B. McClellan received sixty-one votes, and Lin- coln, but twenty-three.
It is a fact that there have been few exceptions since the organization of the county when members of both parties did not hold some of the county offices. The first acquaintance the writer had with political affairs in the county was in 1865, when the Democrats made a clean sweep and elected all of the county officers. In celebration of that event, the officers- elect gave a supper at the Perry hotel. It was a merry affair, with a dance attached. Some of those who attended the supper were: John S. Jenkins, Benjamin F. Jenkins, Isaac H. Jenkins, Nathaniel Hamlin, Thomas S. Lewis, A. B. Houston Daniel Crane, John Crane, Albert I. Brainard, P. I. Whitted, Richard Gault, Urbane Herrick and Hendrick R. Smith. The names of others are forgotten. They had not only a noble table spread, but also an abundance of "liquid inspiration." When the company were about to sit down to the "temporal blessings," "Uncle" John Jenkins, county judge-elect, was called on for a speech. Now "Uncle Johnny" was not noted for lengthy orations, and so he gave this sentiment: "I am Judge Jenkins, from Kentucky, and the father of this supper, sirs, by G -! Now, gentlemen, take hold," and the supper proceeded.
Elections were held in the county annually until 1906. About half of the officers, whose terms were for two years, were elected in one year, and the remainder in the following year, and so on in succession. Not until about 1878-9 was a delegate convention held in the county. It was the cus- tom for any voter who desired, to attend and take part in the conventions of his party. The meetings were sometimes sparsely attended.
The first convention ever attended by the writer was at Exira in the fall of the year 1866, wholly a novel experience, and without the slightest
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idea of being a candidate for office. It was convened in the old school house, with very few in attendance, among whom were the chairman, J. L. Frost, Deacon Lyman Bush and Andrew M. Hardy. It was a very informal meeting. Several were suggested and discussed as candidates. Mr. Hardy asked me if I would accept the nomination for recorder. I said that I had no knowledge of the duties of the office. Without much discussion, it was put to vote and I was formally nominated. Darius Barlow, who was not present, was nominated in the same manner for clerk, and the meeting adjourned with an informal understanding that the ticket was to be filled out later. Barlow declined to accept the nomination, and John A. Hallock was afterwards substituted by common consent. Washington Bartlett was put on the ticket for supervisor in the same way. The vote on recorder that year stood seventy-eight to sixty-nine, in my favor, which was considered overwhelming! Mr. Bartlett was also elected, but Hallock was defeated. The ballots that year for Exira and Oakfield township were written by hand with pens by John A. Hallock, George A. Dissmore and H. F. Andrews.
In 1867 the Republican ticket, so far as recalled, was: Charles Van Gorder, for treasurer; David L. Anderson, for sheriff; J. L. Frost, for sur- veyor. The Democratic ticket was: Amherst Heath, for county judge; A. B. Houston, for treasurer ; John Huntley, for sheriff; P. I. Whitted, for surveyor. The entire Democatic ticket was elected. The vote on the state ticket stood ninety-two to eighty, in favor of the Democrats. The principal fight on the county ticket was over the office of treasurer. Mr. Houston was a wily, crafty, tricky politician. He had the rare faculty of concealing his designs. No man in this county ever better understood the method. He was experienced; had been in partnership with Mr. Hamlin for several years; had held the offices of county judge and deputy clerk of court, and was then holding the office of treasurer. He was backed by the Hamlin influence, was the leading merchant in the county, and had many influential friends by reason of business relations. Van Gorder was justly popular as a young man, and especially on account of his soldier record; but he had no previous political experience, and had made no special canvass for the office. While the party majority was against him, ninety-two to eighty, he was defeated by twenty-six votes, a signal defeat at the time. It was accomplished by a trick. Word was quietly passed around on election day by the Democrats that he was not competent for the office, and was only a brickmaker, etc., and that if elected, John A. Hallock, an unpopular man, was to be appointed his deputy to conduct the business of the office. Not a
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word of it was true. The Republicans did not discover the fraud until too late to remedy the attack. They were caught napping without a chance of defense, and the scheme succeeded as intended.
In the spring of 1868 the Republican convention was called by the chairman, J. L. Frost, to meet at the Green school house. A few members attended under the call, transacted the business, amongst which H. F. An- drews was appointed chairman of the central committee, and adjourned. In due time, the new chairman called the county convention for nomination of county officers, etc., to meet at the Green school house, which was fol- lowed by a similar notice given by Judge Hallock, of Oakfield, purporting to be county chairman, for the same purpose, to be held at the same time and place. The double notice was a surprise to many, but brought out an unusual attendance. It developed that there was a schism in the party, previously unknown to the new comers to the county. Mr. Frost was on hand to represent his faction, claiming that it had the only regular authority to act, while Doctor Ballard and his brother, "Uncle Fred," insisted that Judge Hallock was the only authorized chairman. Some of the Democrats were present to witness the jangle. It was admitted that the previous con- vention in the spring was regularly called by Mr. Frost; and it fairly ap- peared that Mr. Frost and his associates had attended the meeting, trans- acted the business and adjourned. On the other hand, "Uncle Fred" Bal- lard stated that he appeared at the meeting place-presumably after the Frost meeting had adjourned-and observing the call posted there, and that the hour of meeting had arrived, hitched his horse, went into the school house, called the meeting to order, and proceeded to transact business. Doctor Ballard and himself were appointed delegates to the state conven- tion, and Judge Hallock was appointed chairman of the county central committee. He said that he was the only one present and that he presided, and averred that the meeting was perfectly harmonious, and that the busi- ness was conducted by unanimous consent. And it appeared that Doctor Ballard and "Uncle Fred" had attended as delegates to the state conven- tion under authority of that "meeting."
Mr. Frost pointed out the absurdity of "Uncle Fred's" performance ; that is was a farce, and that, consequently, Judge Hallock had no authority to act, in which he was sustained by most of those present. Some others joined with the Ballards, right or wrong. The situation was serious and protended danger to the party organization. Doctor Ballard harangued the meeting and waxed eloquent. He said that he had been fighting Demo- crats all his life. "I fought that old man ( Frost) when he was a Demo-
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crat, and he was the meanest one I ever knew." Ballard and Frost both came from Iowa City, where the Doctor had been proprietor of the Iowa City Republican, the leading paper at one time in Iowa, and was in position to have known Frost's political pedigree. That shot settled it. Mr. Frost left the meeting in anger, and was never afterwards seen in a convention in Audubon county. The meeting amicably recognized Judge Hallock as county chairman, and proceeded to nominate a county ticket, viz. : John M. Griggs, for county judge; John W. Scott, for clerk of court; H. F. Andrews, for recorder; Boynton G. Dodge, for superintendent, and Jacob Andrews, for supervisor.
On the Democratic ticket were: Albert I. Brainard, for county judge; John Crane, for clerk of courts, and William F. Stotts, for recorder.
There was no newspaper in the county for publishing news at that time. It was spread by word of mouth. Meeting Mr. Frost soon after- ward, he inquired the result of the convention, and when informed about the ticket selected, he angrily remarked : "Well, you have made a ticket, but you will have a good time electing it." And he was right. Scott was elected by four majority; Dodge and Jacob Andrews were elected; Griggs was defeated by two votes and H. F. Andrews, by six votes.
The popular opinion was that Van Gorder did not have a fair show in 1867 and it was determined to give him another race. The Republican ticket for 1869 had Charles Van Gorder, for treasurer ; Samuel R. 'Thomas, for sheriff; Boynton G. Dodge, for superintendent, and Charles H. Andrews, for surveyor. The Democratic ticket had A. B. Houston, for treasurer; Colbert Strahl, for sheriff; David B. Beirs, for superintendent, and P. I. Whitted, for surveyor. This time Mr. Houston was unfortunate. Some time prior to 1869, one Darias Barlow obtained a judgment against one Bradley Beers, who owned a farm near old Hamlin; but, to defeat Bar- low, he put the title to his land in the name of Asahel Wakeman, who lived in New York state, from whence Barlow and Beers had emigrated to Audubon county. Beers sold his farm and the proceeds were deposited with Houston pending the delivery of the deed. Wakeman came on to Exira to make the deed. Barlow procured an execution and Houston was attached as garnishee of Beers and delivered the purchase-money for the farm to the officer, and in that way Barlow collected his debt from Beers. Mr. Houston made the grand mistake of pretending to be the friend of both Beers and Barlow ; but ended by making Beers his bitter enemy. Beers was a prominent, leading worker in the Democratic party and from the time Van Gorder and Houston were nominated for the race for treasurer,
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